This prestigious award was presented Wednesday at the Edward Teller Lecture in Aiken. Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness sponsors the Teller Lecture as a public outreach, which is named for the famed nuclear pioneer who played a key role in advancing nuclear science during World War II.

Cacuci is the SmartState Endowed Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering and the Director of the SmartState Center of Excellence in Nuclear Science and Energy at the University of South Carolina. He received his Master of Science degree in nuclear engineering at Columbia University in 1973, his Master of Philosophy in applied physics and nuclear engineering at Columbia University in 1977, and his Ph.D. in applied physics, mechanical and nuclear engineering from Columbia University in 1978.

He is a prolific author and researcher and is widely recognized in his field. He has published over 240 peer-reviewed articles, written numerous books, edited the five-volume Handbook of Nuclear Engineering, and edited the “Nuclear Science and Engineering” journal since 1984. He has made over 700 invited lectures and presentations at leading universities, government institutions and laboratories, and industrial and private organizations, and has mentored and graduated more than 50 doctoral students in the United States and Europe.

Cacuci received the Alexander Humbolt Prize for Senior Scholars in Germany in 1990, the Ernest Orlando Lawrence award from the U.S. Department of Energy in 1998, the Glenn Seaborg Medal from the American Nuclear and European Nuclear Societies in 2000, and the Arthur Holly Compton award from the American Nuclear Society in 2011. He became a member of the European Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2006. He has managed several large research projects and centers, including institute director at the Nuclear Research Center Karlsruhe (1993-2004), scientific director at the Nuclear Energy Pole of the Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (2005-2009), and general coordinator for establishing a Sustainable Nuclear Fission Technology Platform with 22 European partner organizations (2006-2008).

“Professor Cacuci is a leader in the development of nuclear technology, pioneering applications to develop experimentally validated predictive models of nuclear facilities, radiation detection and other nuclear national security applications,” wrote Dr. David LaGraffe of the National Nuclear Security Administration. “It is groundbreaking and technical work such as Cacuci’s that continues to advance science while demonstrating the technical rigor we strive to achieve at our Nation’s DOE and NNSA National Laboratories.”

“CNTA is pleased to present the 2019 Distinguished Scientist award to Dr. Cacuci. His academic record is exceptional and has touched many areas of nuclear science and technology. The number of students he has positively influenced is also exemplary,” said Dr. Jim Marra, CNTA executive director.

The Distinguished Scientist Award is presented annually to recognize regional scientists and engineers who have made exceptional lifetime scientific achievements. The award is in honor of Dr. Fred C. Davison who was chairman of CNTA's Board of Directors from 1994 until his death in 2004.

CNTA is an Aiken-based charitable educational organization dedicated to providing factual information about nuclear topics and educating the public on nuclear issues.